Hey guys/gals like the title says, is anybody here running with NASA? I don't see any Cobalts at the events. I don't know if you didn't know about them or what. Our last event for the Midwest region was Road America in WI. just last weekend. There are other regions across the country so if your in NASA maybe your just not in my area. If you'd like more info on HPDE/open track days that NASA puts on here is a link...... http://www.nasaproracing.com/ I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have, just PM me or post them here. The next HPDE/open track event is at Gingerman Raceway in MI. Sept 8th-9th Track link here.... http://www.gingermanraceway.com/ I'll post up some pics from Gingerman after the event. Here are a few pics from Road America.
See ya on the track.

 

I've heard BAAAAAAAAAAAAd things about NASA from some SCCA guys. Say it isn't so!

 

i really wanna take my balt out on road america

 

road america is fing cool as hell

 

Nothing close to me. Besides I run open track locally without any sort of membership stuff. I don't have the time/money to travel other places.

 

It ain't so. What bad things??? I'd like to know. For novices, sign up for HPDE 1 and you get an in car instructor. 1&2 get class room instruction too and there's limited passing. You have to be signed off by an instructor to move up. You get 4 20min sessions on Sat and usually 5 on Sun. so there's allot of track time. Its better than parking lot cones with 3 or 4 45 second runs all day. Been there, done that! Nasa is structured for your enjoyment and you can take it as far as you want, all the way to full out W2W racing. Your on tracks that the pro's run. My only regret is that I didn't find out about this kind of stuff sooner. That's why I'm posting this, so at least you know about it. SCCA doesn't run open track days like this, at least not in the midwest. I know it's cheaper to chase cones in a parking lot but there's not much excitement in it either. You should go to an event for no other reason than to just check it out. You'll be hooked if you try it.

 

Joined NASA last month& will be doing a HPDE event @ Barbers Motorsport Park in Birmingham on Oct 13-14th. Glad to hear they are cool since this is my first event w/ them. I did a BMWCCA event @ the same track Memorial day weekend& it was INCREDIBLE! You will never be the same after getting on a real race track& letting it rip! Everybody take their 'balts to the drag strip but these cars really come to life on a road course. Oh, nice pics Racer-X...

 

Thanks, I hope you enjoy yourself at Barbers. You will like NASA, its much more structured than just a run of the mill open track day. If you'd like an instructor sign up with HPDE 1. They can help you learn the track better. There are a few more pics on our site and a couple of short vids. I can't wait to get our in car camera installed.

 

allow me to be the first:
NASA??

 

Lmao reign .. thats a good one

 

 

^^official jump suits for the drivers??^^

On a serious note, it sound like something for a "serious" driver to get into, but for now ill stick the SCCA

 

those are flame retarded suits... lol... hence the foil... and asbestos lining

on a side note i really want those moon boots..

 

It'd be nice if you didn't have a local track that offered the same thing. That's the main reason why I didn't join NASA. My local road course (BeaveRun) is a nationally-known track and they offer the EXACT same format for 1/2 the cost and no membership fees.

For me, it just doesn't make much sense because the closest NASA events are REALLY far away in most cases and WAY out of my price range, especially after you factor in gas and hotel.

I agree. Every event I've done the Cobalt's been met with amazement from my instructors. The one guy is an instructor for Mazda Racing and I couldn't get him out of my car . "No, really, JUST an intake and exhaust? No pulley? Holy **** that's a fast lil car!"

 

Yes they are fast, thats why I posted, cause I don't see any Cobalts at the track events.

I'd get tired of racing the same track over and over. Once or twice a year at one track is enough for me. Most tracks offer camping, quite a few people take advantage of this. If you volunteer to help out at some of the events, that would get you some free track time too. At least your getting out on the track with your car and that's the important part.

 

I'm working on becoming an instructor for the track where I run, which requires a TON of track time. Plus as soon as the addition is done, there will be 3 or 4 different configurations, so it won't be as repetitive.

The biggest thing I have against joining/running NASA is just the drive time involved. A 5-6 (or more) hour drive one-way is a bit much. Just to do one day of an event, I'd have to take either a Friday or a Monday off of work (both if I did a whole weekend), and financially I can't do that AND afford to run.

Maybe in a few years after I have a house, a better income, and fewer bills, it will become do-able. But for the time being, I'll stick with the track that's 30 minutes from my house.

 

My instructor was also blown away how well the Cobalt braked,cornered& power output. He has raced in the Grand Am Koni Challenge ST class & stated he understood why the Cobalt SS/SC was "kickin their butt"(they run a BMW 330i). He stated several times how impressed he was with the car& my is stock except air box mod with AEM filter (also is a non G85 car) The only thing he recommended was a rear sway bar. I have not been back to drag strip since driving on a race course...just no comparison! The only car that I had to point by on the second day was a C6 Corvette & that was just because we got caught up behind slower traffic. The C6 put two tires off because I was pushing him hard after letting him by (Barbers is a handling& braking track w/ only two short straights). People get your 'balt out & represent! Even GTO guys are wanting us to come out!

 

Yeah, mine's non-G85 as well. I just got a swaybar, but haven't been back since I installed it. I also got upgraded front sway bar links, we'll see how much those improve it. Also haven't been out since I installed the Hawk HPS. So I've got a lot of upgrades to try out this month, hehehe.

 

I will be there. Sept. 8th and 9th. I am putting performance bushing and mounts on in a week or so, so I would be honored to participate.

 

I ran Putnam Park in May and had a great time. NASA put's on a great program for HPDE, safe , plenty of track time , quality instructors and an enjoyable atmos. I plan on running Gingerman and Autobahn in Sept.

 

Awesome!!!!! I have been studying Gingermans track on line seems as though its pretty easy.

 

scout 01 Did you register for Gingerman yet? I just signed up myself, if youre still going look me up at the track.

 

Anybody up for the Oct. 13-14th event@ Barbers Motorsport Park? I have several friends w/ BMWs & one w/a s2000 that are going, but no other 'balts @ this time!

 

I live in Pittsburgh and I am a NASA instructor. I wish NASA would return to Beavrun because the track is only 30 min away from my house.

Mid Ohio is only 3 hours away in Ohio and Summit Point is only 3.5 hours away so there are close events. A weekend will cost about as much as a Flat Out Friday at beaverun and not use up a Vacation day. Hotel and gas would cost more but these are much better tracks. NASA's membership fee is only $40 a year and it includes a subscription to Grassroots Motorsports Magazine.

Oh, and I am here doing research. I might try and sell my Focus racecar and get a G85 SS.